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- Release Date: 10/12/12 13:51
- Summary: FORECAST: FSF: FONTERRA LIFTS 2013 FORECAST PAYOUT
- Price Sensitive: No
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FSF
10/12/2012 11:51
FORECAST
REL: 1151 HRS Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS)
FORECAST: FSF: FONTERRA LIFTS 2013 FORECAST PAYOUT
Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited has announced a revised payout forecast
range for the 2012/13 season of $5.90 - $6.00 before retentions for a fully
shared up farmer, 25 cents up on the previous forecast range.
The Fonterra Board announced:
o a higher forecast Farmgate Milk Price of $5.50 per kilogram of milksolids
for the 2012/13 season, up from $5.25 on the previous forecast; and
o a forecast Net Profit after Tax range of 40-50 cents per share, consistent
with the recent Fonterra Shareholders' Fund Offer prospectus;
o a 40 cent increase in advance rate payments to farmers.
Fonterra is required to consider its Farmgate Milk Price every quarter as a
condition of the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act (DIRA).
Fonterra Chairman Sir Henry van der Heyden said after considering farmer
shareholders' cash flow requirements, and the strength of the Co-operative's
balance sheet after the launch of Trading Among Farmers, the Board had also
decided to lift advance rate payments to farmer shareholders.
"The immediate effect of this decision is that our farmers will have more
money flowing into their bank accounts from late January when they are paid
for the previous month, and that will help them with their cashflows.
"Between 1 August and the most recent GlobalDairyTrade (GDT) trading event,
prices have increased by an average 17.7 per cent. While there was a drop at
last week's GDT event, it has not changed our overall commodity price
forecasts."
Chief Executive Theo Spierings said Fonterra's strong balance sheet meant
that from a cash flow point of view the Co-operative was in a position to
increase payments to farmers over the next few months without any significant
risk to its financial stability.
Mr Spierings said while the outlook for any movements in the New Zealand
dollar exchange rate were neutral, the impact of weather events in other
markets were likely to support the lift in forecast Farmgate Milk Price.
"There has been a persistent, serious drought in the United States. That has
pushed up the price of grain, which in turn affects dairy production. There
are also concerns about drought in the Ukraine and Russia. In South America,
extreme wetness in parts of Brazil and Argentina could also depress wheat
production," Mr Spierings said.
"Given current global conditions, our forecasting anticipates global dairy
prices are likely to move higher in the first half of 2013."
End CA:00230905 For:FSF Type:FORECAST Time:2012-12-10 11:51:36
